This invention relates to product-bearing display card holding systems and, more particularly, to such holding systems which securely maintain the display cards in a stacked array for shipment and for loading on support hooks.
Substantial effort has been expended in developing various systems for assisting in the placement and positioning of products on store shelves as well as on display hooks or rods. In particular, one area which has continuously caused a substantial labor-intensive task is in the removal of blister packaged products from shipping cartons and the placement of these products on display hooks for sale.
In general, many retail outlets employ numerous elongated hooks or support rods which retain blister packaged products for display and sale. Typically, the particular product is retained in a blister housing, with both securely affixed to a support card. In addition, the support cards are formed with an aperture incorporated therein, directly adjacent the top edge of the card.
In order to provide a supply of the products in position for ease of distribution to the consumer, the products and cards are placed on the elongated rods or hooks by placing the support card on the hook or rod through the aperture thereof. In this way, the desired supply of product is retained and displayed.
Although the use of elongated support rods is extremely common and blister packaged products are commonly sold and distributed in this manner, the placement of the support card on the elongated rod is a labor-intensive task. In this regard, a supply clerk is required to manually position the terminating distal end of the elongated rod through the aperture of the support card and then push the support card along the length of rod towards its proximal end. Then, the process is repeated with each of the numerous additional cards to be placed thereon. Although this labor-intensive task has produced a long felt need in the industry for a more efficient product stocking system, no prior art method has been created which satisfies the current needs.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a holding system for retaining a plurality of product bearing cards in a uniform stacked array and enabling the placement of the entire stacked array of cards on the hook or rod quicky and easily.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a holding system having the characteristic features described above which is quickly mounted in the aperture of the display cards and easily removed therefrom when desired.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a holding system having the characteristic features described above which securely holds the array of cards during shipment to prevent damage from unwanted shifting or movement.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a holding system having the characteristic features described above which securely maintains any desired number of cards in secure engagement.
Other and more specific objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
By employing the present invention, all of the difficulties and drawbacks found in the prior art systems have been overcome, and an easily employed, highly efficient, multi-product holding and retaining member has been realized. In accordance with the present invention, numerous separate and independent blister package, product bearing support cards are quickly and easily placed on elongated support rods for selection by the consumer.
In the present invention, the previously unresolved difficulties have been overcome by achieving a product retaining and holding member which is engaged in the aperture of a plurality of blister package product bearing support cards. In this way, a plurality of independent cards are maintained in a secure, fully integrated compact configuration, preventing movement and unwanted damage during shipping.
In addition to substantially reducing or virtually eliminating damage during shipping, the holding member of the present invention is employed to enable a stocking clerk to place a plurality of blister package product bearing support cards directly onto the elongated rod simultaneously in a single operation. Then, by removing the multi-packaged holding and retaining clip member, the plurality of packages are maintained, independently supported on the elongated holding rod.
In the present invention, numerous alternate constructions for providing a multi-packaged holding and retaining clip member have been achieved. However, although various alternate embodiments have been developed and are fully disclosed herein, these alternate embodiments are provided as examples, demonstrating the various unique aspects and alternate constructions of the present invention.
In addition to providing a multi-package holding and retaining clip member for enabling a plurality of blister packaged products to be simultaneously placed on the holding and display rod, the present invention also teaches the optional use of at least one longitudinally extending alignment finger integrally formed on the support card and constructed for engaging and cooperating with the alignment finger of the adjacent card member. In this way, precise positioning of the numerous blister package product bearing support cards is provided for transportation as well as for retail display.
The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the articles hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.